Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-03-22

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Entered at The Posiot:os at Alexandria, Virginia, as
second-ciass matter.
"a FARMER Speals-Read rt-ronder
II.
Mr. Editor Having heard that the re.
publicans Of this county are diligently
engaged in trying to persuade the demo.
Gratis that there is no party significance at
tached to the election of Treasurer, pro-
pose through the medium of your paper to
examine this question, and think will
succeed IN exposing its fallacy and specious-
ness, by demonstrating to the comprehen-
sion Of my readers, that, rs all other
county Offices, have been decided on party
grounds, this cry OF no party is the
tactics usually resorted TO by the minority
to bamboozle and gull the Gnsrspecting
voter
Had | time and space, | would have no
difficulty in satisfying every impartial voter
| in the county. that the Office of Revenue
| Collector, and all other local offices, from
the least to the greatest, nave been filled by
the dominant pSsty 10 all the counties Of
the State for over fifty years; but it will be
sufficient fer nay purposes, to refer to The cleo
! tion OF 1856 foc county officials, OF which
many now living have Il vivid recollection,
and were participants in it. In that contest
the late John @. Marr was the candidate of
one Of the great parties Of that day, and
Waynefeld F!oweree was that Of the other,
for Sheriff, by whom tho county taxes were
thea collected. This was q strug-
gle for supremacy-each party realiz-
ing that upon that issue depended the
political future Of the county. Party lines
were we'll drawn and the contest was most
animated. Mr.. Mari was successful, and
the ascendancy Oi MS party was perpetual
ed. The other offices were contended for
on the same line, and they all wsnt the
same way To show the partisanship of
that day, will mention that in contest
for another Office, gentleman of prom
inence worked and voted against his own
son, who entertained different political
sentiments. l mention this 20 show with
what tenacity parties adhered to their re-
spectiye sides in those days, with the hope
that democrats may in the approaching con-
test be induced to initiate their example.
| The two great parties Of that day were COM
posed Of the intelligence and the respects
bility of the lOhite people OF the county. Ii
the parties at that time took so much pride
| and pleasure il preserving party lines how
much more the inducement for democrats 10
| do so now. when confronted by y party
composed Of Heterogeneous material.
But / have digresseG auG sill return to
my subject, and proceed - show that poll
ties have been. and still are important tac-
tors in elections of all kinds, whether oy the
people or otherwise. | VIII nov introduce
authority which republicans can't repudiate,
! for out Of their own mouths | am prepared
| TO condemn them. Irefer you TO the actions
ofthe Legislatures underthe Malone regime,
where everything was made to subserve party
interests, without regard to Gecency CT fit.
ness Every Office under the control of that
august body was filed by partisan friends.
| The judicial ermine WAS trampled OF and
made to trail in the dust party. The per-
sonel of the Court of Appeals wss changed
by the appointment Of partisan judges, who,
measured by the standard Of qualifications
with their predecessors, would not come up
to their knees. Democrats found on the
benches of the County Courts were sup
planted largely by professional gamblers or
imbecles, with no other qualifications re-
quired than that they were readjusters and
"had looked in the code once" The Uni
versity, Military Institute, and other iDsti-
tutions of learning were placed under the
management Of members Of their party, who
were only eminent for their unhtness for
the positions the free schools were taken
out OF the control and management OF those
who contributed ct least four-ffths of the
means to start and run them by appointing
their own friends county superintendents;
Sulivau-poor Sullivan-the one-legged
| Confederate soldier, whose family support
was derived from his pay as doorkeeper,
was made to take up his crutch and git"
In fact, l may say, had it not been for the
Big -Four Ito whom be all honor every
place under the State Government would
have been filed by partisan friends, with
the object Of making them more influential
in the elections, and, if possible, to perpetu-
ate them in power.
appeal TO my democratic friends to know
if they ever heard q republican readiuster
disapprove or condemn such proceedings?
or were they not like Nero, who rejoiced
over the burning Of Rome, disposed to ex-
ult over the downfall of their own State?
II tie action Of their party then met their
appreciation, does it not, to eli intents aud
purposes. commit them to the policy of
making politics passport to preferment in
all cases.
think I have said enough TO satisfy eve-
ry democrat that it would be political sui
eide to ignore party in this election; but
will go farther and enquire if they ever
knew republican to vote for democrat
who had a political opponent? Did they not
support Cameron over John W. Daniel for
Governor ?-Blaine over Cleveland for Pres
ident ?-Wise over Lee for Governor Pail
the opponents of J. s. Barbour for Congress?
-Eam over Lee last fall ?-and ali the OPP
ponents Of our county and district tickets
for the Senate and House ? You may he
told they have voted for democrats, but
have they ever voted for Que who was OPP
posed by candidate of their own? You
may also be told they will vote for demo